Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
On completion of construction, lease or sale, all UK Residential and Commercial properties require an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).
Since implementation, Landlords and Property Owners in England & Wales have been required to provide Energy Performance Certificates (EPC’s) to any prospective buyer or tenant when they lease, build or sell a Residential or Commercial Property. An EPC is also now a requirement for all dwellings at the construction stage.
Price: £85
When is an EPC needed?
Where a dwelling is being let an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) will be required.
An EPC is required as follows:-
- Individual house/dwelling (i.e. a self-contained property with its own kitchen/bathroom facilities) – one EPC for the dwelling.
- Self-contained flats (i.e. each behind its own front door with its own kitchen/bathroom facilities) – one EPC per flat.
- Bedsits or room lets where there is a shared kitchen, toilet and/or bathroom (e.g. a property where each room has its own tenancy agreement) – No EPC is required.
- Shared flats/houses (e.g. a letting of a whole flat or house to students/young professionals etc on a single tenancy agreement) – one EPC for the whole house.
- Mixed self-contained and non-self-contained accommodation – one EPC for each self-contained flat/unit but no EPC for the remainder of the property.
- A room in a hall of residence or hostel – no EPC is required.
There are fixed penalties for failing to provide an EPC/make one available when required. The fixed penalty for dwellings is £200 per dwelling. There is a six-month time limit for any enforcement action to be taken.
What changes have been made?
Changes took effect as from the 9th January 2013 as follows:-
- Property advertisements must contain the asset rating ie. the EPC rating for the property and the SAP rating where an EPC is available.
- The requirement for Property Particulars to be accompanied by a copy of the first page of the EPC has been scrapped. However, these must show the EPC rating and the SAP rating for the property if an EPC is available.
- It is intended that listed buildings and ancient monuments should be excluded from the need for an EPC but it is doubtful that the wording of the relevant exemption achieves this.
For further information about the EPC for Landlords please visit https://www.rla.org.uk/landlord/guides/epc/